


Snapshots from Xadia

by PidgeyYami



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Family, Fanfiction, Feels, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-28
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:41:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21589306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PidgeyYami/pseuds/PidgeyYami
Summary: Fly into the magic of Rayllum where you will find plenty of my handcrafted feels inside! This is a collection of different prompts and stories as they come. Feel free to send ideas or prompts!
Relationships: Callum & Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 137





	1. Chapter 1

-Heart-  
*My dearest friends (or new friends), welcome back! I haven’t written in a hot minute and I had to fix that. Surprise though, I have crossed fandoms and written my FIRST Dragon Prince Rayllum fic!!! SHOCKER. Please enjoy below my angsty, emotional mess of work and let me know what you guys think! 

To others, Rayla should have probably stopped and thought through her decision to act in the moment a bit further; her impulse to protect and defend sometimes drove her to reckless actions. This wasn’t new to her nor was it unknown. She was very well aware of this and unfortunately as much as she may want to correct it in theory, when it came down to the moment she would always choose to act; it was in her blood and DNA to do so as well. Being a Moonshadow Elf made her fit to be a warrior. Being the child of two Dragon Guards, made her destined to protect. She could not just simply ignore those things that ultimately made up who she was and she did not want to. Even if the outcome could be less than desirable, Rayla had a heart that could never just run when she could take a stand. 

That is what she was doing in this very moment. Rayla was being the courageous being she was. It wasn’t that she didn’t fear, because as the bandit’s blade cut through the air she felt the slight rush of fear, but that she was willing to push through fear for those she loved. If she didn’t, Callum would be harmed.

As her eyes scanned behind her briefly, she saw Callum still lying there in the mouth of the cavern shivering. A large usage of magic recently had unexpected consequences and Callum was sick and unable to travel. Rayla had been truly scared when he fell and even more so as he remained unconscious. The last time she had seen him in a similar state was when he used Dark Magic. And while this time he hadn’t, he had still used a large amount of energy with a small amount of rest on his shoulders. He selflessly gave of himself too much to help others. It’s something she loved about him… 

If he could give of himself to help others, then so would she. She was doing this for Callum. 

The bandit had snuck up on them as they rested in the cavern. To his credit, he was extremely skillful to have done so with Rayla’s senses and Callum’s magic and yet now he was here and threatening their safety. 

“Hand over any valuables Moonshadow Elf and no one gets hurt.” The man sneered at her, bandana covering his face. The only part of him that could be seen were his eyes, a deep and muddy yellow color. 

Rayla stood her ground, “We haven’t got any valuables. Leave now.” 

He snickered, “Those blades look mighty valuable to me.” He said nodding in the direction of Rayla’s twin blades. 

Her eyes narrowed. This man was seriously underestimating her if he thought she would hand over her blades just because he was pointing his. With a flick of her wrists, both hands were armed and poised to attack. 

“You must be stupid if you think I’ll give ya these. Now I’ll only say this once more: leave.” She said, standing tall. 

The man didn’t laugh this time and instead his eyes squinted with anger. In a blink, he was on the move. Flashes of black and silver were seen as the two squared off. The bandit clearly was older, but that didn’t mean Rayla wasn’t a match for him. With a kick to his chest, she sent the man flying backwards out of the cavern. Rayla paused for a second to examine Callum. 

“Come on Callum, please get up. I need ya here.” She pleaded with him, not knowing if he could actually hear her. 

“How unexpected. A human and an elf huh? You betray your own blood. If I killed you, no one would grieve you. If I killed him, then that’s one less human in the world.” The man said walking slowly back through the opening; his voice echoed in the cave around them. 

Rayla stood over Callum’s body in defense. “Like hell I’d let you touch him.” 

“I don’t think you’ll have a choice elf.” He said and sprung at her again. 

Their blades crashed together as Rayla struggled to keep the bandit as far from Callum as she could. She threw him back again and the two continued their battle further away from the unconscious boy. 

“How can you defend him? Humans are animals. They are vermin in this world. And yet you would protect this one. Tell me elf, are you his slave? Or maybe you just wiggled your way into his bed.” He said taunting her. 

Rayla let out a loud cry of anger/indignation and her blade successfully nicked the man’s shoulder. He groaned out loud and held onto the wound. 

“I hit a sore spot didn’t I?” He said, continuing to taunt her even while injured.

“How dare you… You don’t know anything about us thief!” She said, breathing heavy. 

“I know all I need to know. You both will die and I’ll be taking your blades and anything else you have!” He yelled and changed directions… toward Callum. 

Fear and dread filled her veins as she saw him make toward the boy that held her heart.

“CALLUM!” She yelled as she ran to intercept the man. 

Seconds moved in slow motion as both individuals made their way to the same target. Every step, Rayla willed herself to move faster. Faster than the bandit was all she had to be. 

With a few steps and her blades up, the bandit closed in on them. The last thought to cross her mind as she and the bandit locked eyes was green eyes and a goofy smile.

-

Silence. Silence was all Callum could hear around him as he stirred. The ground beneath him was softened by a blanket of some sort, it’s texture familiar to his fingertips as he moved. His eyes slowly pried open to the dim light. He could make out a rocky ceiling and cool feeling all around. The more his eyes opened, the more he could make out however. He was confused and still a bit dazed as to why he was laying on the floor and where he was. The last thing he remembered was drawing a new rune shape and casting a spell. He could recall Rayla’s worried face and words of concern as he let the words leave his mouth. After that, his world went black. 

If she was there when that happened, then where was Rayla now?

He shot up suddenly at the realization. His eyes scanned around him frantically for a sign of the white-haired elf he loved dearly. When he finally did get a glimpse of her, he felt as if his soul had left his body. Rayla stood a few feet in front of him frozen in a battle stance, eyes wide, and with a long blade running through her left side still connected to a man in black. 

How Callum was able to cast “aspiro” was a complete wonder in that moment. The mystery man in black was thrown so far into the woods that it was unknown where he ended up. It had to be the strongest version of that spell that had he had channeled in his life and he had done it in the state he was currently in. All he knew was that he had never experienced such a mixture of anger and fear in his whole entire life’s existence. 

The thud of Rayla’s knees hitting the floor awakened him out of the murderous state of mind he was in and into the horrific reality before him. 

“RAYLA!” He screamed from a place deep inside him, moving so quickly he didn’t even notice the steps he took to arrive to her. 

She kneeled in the same spot; eyes still wide in shock and mouth agape. From her side, a dark patch of purple began to grow and spread through her clothing and drip to the floor beneath. All Rayla could do was gasp; her breaths catching in short bursts as the severity of the situation really hit her. She had been stabbed, in a less than ideal spot, and was miles from the nearest town. She turned her head slowly to watch Callum racing toward her. 

“Callum…” She whispered. 

Callum’s arms were around her in seconds. 

He was shaking and his eyes were all over her frantically. They landed on the dark patch at her side and the shiny glint on the blade still embedded within her. 

“Oh God… Oh God Rayla… W-We are going to figure this out okay? You’re going to be okay!” He said in desperation. 

Her lavender eyes were moving more rapidly, examining him. He was okay. He was healthy again somehow. He was okay and he was here. He hadn’t been harmed in anyway. Her human was safe. 

“C-Callum…” She said, reaching a shaky hand to touch his face. 

Pools and rivers of tears spilled from Callum’s eyes. His usually bright green eyes were a dark and deep emerald shade. She briefly thought that even this way they still looked beautiful. 

-

Callum had carefully as possible assessed the situation with Rayla. Her wound was bleeding pretty badly and there was still the blade to deal with… She was surprisingly not in pain, but by the way she seemed out of it, he figured she was in shock. He had to make a decision and soon. Try and move her to find help or treat her here? 

His hands could not stop shaking as his fingers trailed the sides of the entrance of the wound. It wasn’t a large wound in size, but he had no way of knowing what it had damaged inside. Moving away he looked at his fingertips where spots of purple tainted his skin. He felt horribly sick. Rayla’s blood was on him, in more ways than one. 

“Rayla…why?” He said, even though he knew the answer. Because it was the very same thing that he would have done for her. He wouldn’t have had a second thought to protect her either. 

She stared at him, eyes dazed. “I love you.” She said. 

-

Callum had not slept all night. Rayla’s form lay on a bed beside him. Her light lavender-tinted skin was now ashy in color. Her pure hair was sprawled about around her. Her facial markings under her sealed eyes stood out much too darkly. Her chest moved up and down slower than he was used to seeing it do. Her abdomen wrapped tightly in bandages with a tinge of purple seen through them. 

She was somehow alive. The doctors had noted that Rayla was a fighter, not just in occupation but in spirit as well, refusing to give in during any of the attempts to stabilize her. At one point she had nearly been lost only to surprise the doctors by opening her eyes and fighting them to see Callum. 

The nurses rushed to retrieve Callum. He couldn’t erase the scene of her thrashing against the doctors screaming out his name. She was desperate to see him; to know he was okay. 

“CALLUM! CALLUM!” Her screams could be heard for miles, ripping from her throat until her voice grew hoarse. 

He had ran to her, holding her down carefully with the doctors. 

“Rayla! Rayla please you need to calm down! Rayla, I’m right here! I’m okay!” He kept repeating over and over until her panicked state calmed. She laid on the bed, breathing heavily. 

“You’re okay.” She said, finally realizing he was indeed in front of her, and her eyes rolled back. 

-

The entire day’s ordeal had left Callum heavily traumatized. Soren sat by his side, attempting to help the prince cope. Through jokes and lighthearted comments, Callum was incredibly grateful to have someone by his side. King Ezran himself was arriving soon and Callum would have a full support network to be with him as he waited for Rayla to wake. 

Watching her in her slumber, Callum could not help but reflect on their journey. From their beginnings to now, fate had somehow willed for these two souls to join up. Two very different souls, from two very different backgrounds. And yet somehow these two souls had not only joined together, but fallen in love. Their differences blended and complimented the other. Where one was weak, the other strong. They grew together and their hearts meshed together along the way, deeper if possible. 

She was everything. She was Rayla. Every word spoken and action she took, pointed to who she was and the heart she had. The same heart that had led her to where she was now. 

Breathing deeply, Callum stood up. The temptation to wallow in the guilt of her actions was incredibly strong, but after two panic attacks earlier Callum knew that he had to be strong. Rayla had made her choice to protect him out of pure and undeniable love for him. He could never ever repay that, but he could be here for her now and remain while she wakes up. 

-

Opening her eyes to the world again, Rayla was very aware of her circumstances. Her side throbbed as if confirming her actions earlier. Callum. She had risked her life to protect him. Why? She loved him. It was as simple as that in her mind and in her heart. And as relieved, emotional green eyes came into her view and she registered the weight of a hand in her own, she had all the reaffirmation she needed to know that she had made the right choice. Five digits mixed within her four were all she needed right now as proof. Her heart would always act and take a stand to protect the most precious thing in her life. 

“Callum.”


	2. Change

-Change-  
*Happy early Thanksgiving!! I am thankful for all of your support and all these amazing fandoms and worlds to get lost in. Here’s another Rayllum fanfic to give you some love. Its a bit angsty, but full of love and fluff to enjoy. As always, thanks again for reading! I’m always open to ideas and prompts to write away to. (Pardon any errors, I hadn’t proofread it yet but was so excited to share it) 

A woman’s scream ripped through the magical woods of the Xadia. A pair of emerald eyes were torn violently awake at the sound and the familiarity of the voice. The lack of a warm body next to the man confirmed his worst fears. 

“Rayla!” He screamed. 

Callum tore the woven sheets off his body with fervor and began to search the small home frantically for his love. She had been right next to him when they had gone to bed. She had smiled as she tucked her body into his and closed her eyes to the night. He had soaked the bliss that came with knowing he was hers and she was his; that she was safe in his arms every night. Yet now she was missing and the only sign he had of her was her piercing scream mere moments again. 

“Callum!” A distant voice yelled back desperately. 

He turned his body to the voice’s direction and ran. Under the dim light in their home, he found Rayla leaned against the hallway wall. She was huddled in herself, doubled over in pain perhaps? 

He dropped to his knees in front of her, “Rayla! Rayla what is wrong?” He said scanning her body for injuries of any kind or the source of her pain. 

She seemed to be wincing for sure. “I-I don’t know. It just hurts! I think I’m… bleedin’…” 

Callum was instantly more alarmed now. “Bleeding where? Where does it hurt?” He said, holding onto her arms now to balance her. 

Rayla groaned, “My belly… it hurts… I’m bleedin’ under Callum!” She stated in frustration. 

Callum was incredibly more confused now and still panicked. He didn’t know why she would be in pain or bleeding especially from there. 

“Callum, don’t just sit there… get help!” She shouted at him and Callum shot up and out of their home in record time.

Rayla was hurt and he knew needed to get help, but Lord knows he didn’t want to face her wrath either. 

-

Rayla now lay in a cot resting. A local Elven healer was quick to come when noticing Callum’s frantic pleas for assistance luckily and was able to move her to the medical hut. While he examined her and even used some magic to look into further details, Callum couldn’t help but be on edge. Rayla was in pain and he couldn’t do anything to help her. Her grip on his hand was enough to restrict his blood flow, but he didn’t mind truthfully; he would grin and bare it to offer her whatever he could. The healer hummed to himself, expression pinched in concentration. As Rayla let out another groan of pain, he gestured to a woman who came with a vial of colored liquid. 

“I am going to administer some pain relief to her, to help her ailment.” He said kindly to the both of them. 

Rayla groaned, “It’s… about time!”

-

With Rayla now more calmed and relaxed, Callum could also take a slight break for himself. He was relieved when she was no longer stirring in pain or discomfort. He was still concerned as to what was wrong and if they could fix it.

“Rayla? I just want you to know that I’m here with you okay?” He said squeezing her hand. He still hadn’t let go of it yet. 

The tired Moonshadow elf before him smiled, an expression of care gracing her features. “I know. I know you are.”

-

“I’m WHAT?!” 

For the second time that night, Rayla’s voice broke through the air. It wasn’t a scream of pain this time, but rather something else.

“You’re with child Rayla. Congratulations are in order it would seem then! You both are to be parents.” The healer said, yet again much too kindly and unnerved by Rayla’s tone of voice. 

The two “parents-to-be” sat absolutely dumbfounded, mouths still gaping like a fish out of water. Rayla was pregnant. She was going to have a baby. She and Callum were going to have a baby. A baby them was happening…

“B-But how can that be? I’m an elf and Callum is a human! I-I’ve never heard of this happenin’ before!” She stated, stumbling over her words in disbelief as Callum had yet to move an inch. 

“It’s rare, but not unheard of. Elves and humans are similar enough in make up to procreate if desired, but there are still very few pairs like yourselves yet within the kingdoms. You both may very well be the first to do in hundreds of years! You’re making history literally.” He stated with hands expressive and excited. 

They both took a second to process more of what was being said to them as Rayla touched her flat stomach. There was an actual living, breathing, developing mix of her and Callum in there; this was really happening. Neither of them had given much thought into the possibility of kids. The couple was recently married as of about a year or so now and were still adjusting to young, married life; everything was about to change now. 

Rayla turned to face Callum, “We’re… we’re going to be parents.”

With a loud thunk noise, Callum fainted. 

-

“Please keep in mind that this pregnancy will be a bit difficult. We don’t have any real way of knowing your gestation duration and any complications that could occur from a halfling birth. I would recommend plenty of rest and before you object, please do so for you and your child’s sake.” The man noted on a scroll with notes for Rayla and Callum to take with them. 

To say Rayla was annoyed at this, was an understatement. Rayla did not do well with sitting still and just “resting”. 

Despite the irritation, she looked down at her belly, “You wee devil already changing things for us huh?” She said teasingly and rubbed it affectionately. 

Callum watched on, now having gained consciousness, at the sight before him. His wife and now their child sat in front of him; the tiny, defenseless life that surprised them both. Would he be a good dad? Would everything go well? Would Rayla get ill again like she did earlier? How complicated would things get? How were they going to prepare for a new life? The questions swirled around and around in his head, threatening to overwhelm him and take his breath away. 

“Callum?” Rayla’s voice pulled him from inside his head. 

He looked into her eyes to see uncertainty. She was still holding onto her belly. He didn’t quite know the words to say. 

“Are you okay?” she asked him. 

“I-I’m alright. I’m sorry Rayla… I didn’t ever want you to get hurt and I am sorry I didn’t consider the possibilities of you being in this state. I should have been more careful. I’m sorry, but I promise I’ll be here by your side always.” He said reaching out to grasp the hand around her stomach. 

“You big dumb human. I didn’t consider it either, but I’m happy. Really I am. We get to be parents now Callum. I know it may not be easy, but we’re a family. We have each other through this and I know you’ll be amazing dad. I love you.” She said, eyes tearing up. 

Those words reassured Callum to his core. Tears threatened to fall in his own eyes and he squeezed her hand before moving it to her belly. He moved closer and leaned down. 

“Hi little one, I’m your dad.”

-

Labor was a nightmare. Rayla had gone into labor around 8 months in and had complications. She had begun to hemorrhage at one point and Callum nearly fainted again as he saw the amount of blood being expelled. The healer had been right, the pregnancy would not be easy and the labor wouldn’t be either. Rayla took the contractions and labor like an absolute warrior however and Callum was overwhelmed with awe at his wife’s strength in those moments. 

It was a long process and no one knew what to expect when the baby was delivered. Would it look human or elf or even both? Would it be healthy at all? Callum was holding his breath and wishing to whatever he could that both Rayla and their child would be safe. 

After nearly a full day of labor, Rayla and Callum’s child was finally born. The child’s cries filled the air and mixed with cheers of excitement in the room. Their child was placed in Rayla’s tired arms quickly as the healers worked to finish tending to Rayla. Callum swore he had never seen a more beautiful sight in his eyes; their child and his wife together, gazing at each other. 

“It’s a girl!” 

The halfling was a perfect mix of the two of them: she had white shiny hair like Rayla, skin lighter than Callum’s but not tinted like Rayla’s own. She also had small markings on her face that curled from the sides of her closed eyes, along with a freckle under her left eye. When she opened her eyes, they were a hazel green color as well. 

“She’s so beautiful…” Rayla said now having relaxed further from labor. 

Callum could only nod in agreement and reached his hand out to her. Their daughter wrapped her tiny hand around his finger and he swore he melted right then and there. 

-

“Happy Birthday Sarai!” They both said as they walked into their daughter’s room. 

The little toddler squealed in joy and motioned to be picked up. 

Callum reached out and grabbed her in his arms. Sarai was one year old now. They couldn’t believe how the time had gone by! Their little surprise was blossoming every single day. Her white hair had grown with slight waves to it and she had two tiny horns developing now on her head (much to Rayla’s utter joy). She still remained a great mix of her two parents, but she surprisingly had her inherited from both their families as she had her grandmother’s freckled beauty mark and similar eye markings to her other grandmother. 

Sarai was loved by all around her. She was dotted on by her uncle and other family members constantly and even strangers could not help but marvel at the little doll-like child with two different backgrounds. Her parents had expected pushback from some due to her parentage, but the support outweighed the negative. And truthfully Rayla had no issue pulling out her blades if anyone ever got too touchy about her daughter either.

She was truly the joy of their lives. She wasn’t expected, but now the two of them could not imagine life without her in it filling it with newfound joys. The lessons they were learning as parents and the growth they together had was amazing. The depth of their love for each other and Sarai kept growing. Their little family was perfect and the future of Xadia had never looked brighter.


	3. Lucky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey again friends! Here's a family fluffy Rayllum short (future setting and time skip warning) for you all to chime in the holiday season! Enjoy and thanks for all the love and support.

The world had certainly changed once the Dragon Prince was reunited with his Queen mother. With the dark army horde fought off and the threat from Viren overtaking the world vanquished, the human kingdoms and Xadia could look towards rebuilding their future. It was a future that seemed brighter than ever before and one that hopeful hearts like the king of Katolis hoped would be a future forged together. With the aid of a council, both Xadian and human, King Ezran inspired to lead the charge on unification and peace throughout their lands. It was a task that would not be easy and would take years and years of hard labor, but finally they were beginning to see the fruits of their hard work pay off. 

If one roamed the streets of Katolis it was no longer uncommon to see humans and elves trading and exchanging. Children played together with little issues and relationships were beginning to flourish with more acceptance. It was a sight that warmed hearts, but there were unfortunately some that still resisted change. Pockets of stern-minded, opinionated individuals within both sides still existed and try as they might, they refused to move. These people didn’t discourage others though, people like the King, Prince, etc. still celebrated the culture change. Peace and unity was not an overnight objective and there would always be resistance to change. 

When Callum looked into the eyes of his daughter however, he saw that change as more than worth it. Bubbling bundle of joy Sarai was worth every single struggle that could come his way due to her parentage. The first known elf/human halfling in hundreds of years, her arrival was not planned, but once she arrived, her place was never disputed. The youngling was the spitting image of her mother with mixes of her father. As she grew up, she grew up with her mother’s unique beauty and her father’s emotional temperament in place. She was gifted in both combat and magic and adored her family. She grew up both in Xadia and Katolis, with a love and respect for both. She was a beautiful physical depiction of what the union of the two worlds could be; one that they hoped would pave the way for others like her.   
-

“Are you sure you should be up there?” came an uneasy voice from below. 

A young boy stood shyly under a large Xadian tree in the courtyard of the palace grounds. His blue eyes scanned the area around them anxiously. 

A head popped hanging upside down from a branch. “Oh come on Felix, it’ll be an adventure! Haven’t you ever wanted to roam the village without our parents for once?” 

The figure hanging upside down had wavy white hair tied up in a long braid with strands of hair framing her face and small horns poking out of the top of her head. Her green eyes shone with mischief and excitement and her purple markings curled with the smile on her face. She was not one to stay inside for too long and with her parents being kept busy with ambassador business, she had grown anxious within the walls of the palace. So anxious that she dragged her younger cousin, the prince, out with the intention of sneaking out into the village outside the palace gates to explore for themselves. 

Felix was definitely the more careful of the two. He had heard from his father’s recent meeting that there was a group of ruffians nearby causing issues and harassing Xadians who traveled through the human kingdoms. The group was full of hateful individuals who believed that humans were far more superior to Elves and the magical creatures of Xadia; ultimately they wanted them out. Felix knew he wasn’t supposed to have heard those things, but now that he knew this he feared for his own cousin…

“Sarai… I don’t think that’s a good idea. What if we run into some bad people?” He said, clutching his stuffed Glowtoad plush. 

She huffed, “Bad people in Katolis? Felix, I think we’re fine. Now come on, don’t leave me hanging literally.”

The boy sighed and began to climb the limbs of the tree, praying nothing bad would happen to them.   
-

“Okay so maybe there are some bad people in Katolis.” 

Sarai and the prince stood, backs against a stone wall as a young man with dark hair and eyes began to pin them in. 

Their journey had until recently been without any issues and the two had enjoyed getting to meet new people and see the village outside their walls in a new light. One thing they couldn’t avoid while out was the attention Sarai drew to herself. Her half-and-half appearance drew curious looks from people still and it might have been what led them to where they are now. 

While they walked, they hadn’t noticed a spiteful young man following them until he was on them. The man sneered at Sarai and had even spat on the floor by her feet. 

“Disgusting halfbreed. You shouldn’t exist! Your parents had no shame.” He said with venom spewing from every word he said, looking her up and down with disdain. 

Felix gasped. How could someone say such a horrible thing about his cousin and family? His aunt Rayla and Uncle Callum were some of his very favorite people in the world. They were basically heroes in his eyes along with his father. They had helped bring peace to Katolis so how could anyone think so low of them?

Sarai scoffed, “You don’t know what you’re talking about. If you think your words hurt me, then you are sadly mistaken. I know who I am and I don’t need someone like you telling me otherwise.” 

The man shook in anger, “You watch your mouth mutt. You have nothing to be proud of. And your parents: the step-prince and his animal of an elven wife are nothing.” 

It was in that moment that Sarai’s usually emotional/sensible side lost the battle. Within the blink of an eye she had jumped into the air, kicking the man in his chest hard. The man hit the ground roughly and his fall attracted the attention of some people passing by. She may have only been 12, but she was a force to be reckoned with especially when angered; it ran in her blood. 

She stood over the man as Felix cowarded behind her, with her foot shoved into his chest keeping him down, “I said you don’t know what you’re talking about and I meant it. Keep my parents out of your mouth and learn some respect. You won’t get rid of people like me so get used to it.” 

The young man’s face grew red with anger and embarrassment. “Why you littl-”

“Hey! What’s going on here?” came a new voice from behind. 

Sarai’s hardened green eyes flinched and then looked up to be face-to-face with a pair of eyes the same shade as her’s. Prince Callum stood at the entrance of the alleyway, arms crossed. Just behind him, stood his heavily pregnant wife, Rayla, wearing an expression on her face that could kill pointed at the man on the floor.

She gulped, “Hi dad...mom… I didn’t know you guys were home yet…” Pushing her foot off the man’s chest. 

Her parents looked at her with a look that meant she was probably in trouble. 

“I told you we shouldn’t have left.” Felix said, clutching Sarai’s waist.   
-

“But dad you should’ve heard the things he said! H-He really said those stupid things! ...How can someone be so cruel…?” Sarai trailed off, the anger in her dimming. 

She sat down with a thump by her father, who just watched his daughter fume. When mad, she was her mother, but when she calmed down or cried it was like looking at a mirror he couldn’t deny. Sarai sat with her head down and her hands clenched in her lap. Her hands shook lightly and soon he heard small sobs. 

He reached over and pulled her close. “Oh honey… it’s okay. You know, sometimes people are just cruel. Sometimes no matter how kind you are or who they are, they choose to be unkind and say unkind things. Both me and your mom have seen and heard it before too. It hurts sometimes what they say, but you know what always got us through it?” 

She sniffed, “Mom beating them up?”

Callum stifled a laugh at the mental image, “No, not that… at least not always… What always got us through it was the love we have for each other and those around us and reminding ourselves of who we were.”

Sarai sniffled again and looked up at her dad. He was always so wise and kind to her and all those around. She saw every day examples of how much he loved her mother and her. 

“Really?” she said. 

He nodded, “Really.” 

As she lunged to hug him she closed her eyes. She was grateful for having such a soul as his as her father. As she opened her eyes to her mother resting peacefully in their large bed with her hands encasing her swollen belly, she was thankful that her little brother or sister would also grow up with all the love and support that she had been given by both parents. They were really lucky.


	4. Reflection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey angsty fanfic lovers, this one is for you! This one is dedicated to anyone who has ever struggled with their self-image or insecurities and has begun their own journey of self love one day at a time. I hope you all enjoy! PS It's a long one, I warned you.

Mirrors reflect simply what is seen before them, that’s what they have always done. Mirrors were common and many people had mirrors in varying sizes, but the mirrors in the palace of Katolis seemed much larger in comparison. In Rayla’s suite, for example, stood an oval silver-trimmed mirror at the corner of the room. When she had first settled in, she had thought nothing of it at all but another trivial human adornment. Now, it seemed to be placed there to torment her and mock her. 

The first time she had used the mirror was to simply do her hair. Her hair wasn’t ever really messy persay, but at times her braids tended to undo themselves or she might want to comb through the locks of white to tidy them a little. As she stood in front of the mirror and began to gently work on fixing the small braid on the side of her head, her eyes had lightly roamed to her face a little. Comparatively to other elves, Rayla was pretty normal in appearance. Her lavender eyes were a bit larger than most and her skin a bit paler in complexion, but even Moonshadow elves varied in appearances with little things like that. She didn’t stand out and she liked that she very obviously belonged with her people. 

Comparatively to humans however, Rayla knew she was far from normal. Her ear shape, skin tone, eye color, hair color, horns, and facial markings are a far cry from a stereotypical human girl right off the bat; not that it ever really concerned her. Growing up, she had always thought that humans were the ones that looked strange with their rounded ears, useless extra finger, and small stature. Now being around humans longer, she was beginning to notice those differences more. In the case of Callum though, they were absolutely endearing and cute differences in her mind. 

Rayla’s opinion on Callum and his appearance radically changed over the course of their time together. Somewhere along the way she had gone from thinking the human was just weird and small to thinking that he was actually... attractive. While Rayla had never specifically asked him, she assumed something similar probably happened with him too. She may never ask him though because things like appearances and beauty weren’t necessarily staple issues where she came from. 

She smiled at her finished braid. It looked nice and matched her usual appearance well, she thought. As she fixed on her belt and slipped on her boots, the thought that she should maybe try and style her hair another way for once just to see what it would look like passed her mind. She thought of the fancy updos she had seen some girls do here and shook her head. That would look silly on her.   
-

The next time she could recall looking into the mirror was after she dragged herself in after a training session. She was still breathing heavily a bit from exertion and was sweating under her armor. She didn’t need a mirror to tell her she looked a bit rough and yet even with her state, Callum had still kissed her tenderly before she left to freshen up before dinner. Still she couldn’t help but glance at herself as she passed the mirror. Her reflection depicted exactly what she expected: messy hair, reddened cheeks, sweaty exterior and strands of hair sticking to her face, dirt smudges here and there. The price of training and staying agile she supposed. But pausing for a moment she really noticed her build. Her body was tall and athletic with minimal curves and toned muscles from being so active. An image of Claudia and her more curved build crossed by momentarily and how Callum had been enamored with her prior. Rayla frowned, did Callum like that kind of a body type more? He had never said it before, but maybe that was something his young self had admired in her and still liked? 

Her hands ghosted over her own body briefly before pausing. That was a dumb thought, she mentally reprimanned herself and continued to change.   
-

That insignificant, stupid mirror and looking into it occassionally now had planted a small seed of doubt and insecurity that had began to root itself in Rayla. Unbeknownst to her, she was paying more attention to her appearance than she had ever before. Under the guise of excuses like “that’s a dumb thought” or “you know better than that”, she ignored the little voice of doubt that was growing and played it off within herself. Maybe Rayla was also a little too proud to admit that she could be struggling with her self-image because after all she was Rayla; she was this strong, brave, and sure person, definitely not the kind that would struggle with something as meaningless as her appearance. 

She and Callum were currently walking through the town square admiring the preparation of a festival that was underway. The people were stringing up colorful lanterns, lights, and flowers adorning homes and wreaths to mark the beginning of Spring. There were smiles all around and music trailed through the various alleyways; it was a beautiful sight to be seen after so much war and darkness. 

Callum had firmly and proudly held her hand as they walked through the town. All of Katolis was aware that the Prince was somehow romantically linked to his Elven companion and they were a common sight from time to time; the human prince with magic and the beautifully, deadly elf. From the first time they set foot outside the palace together, they garnered stares and glares alike. This was to be expected however and didn’t bother either too much as time passed. 

Callum for his part thought he was the luckiest man in all the kingdoms to have Rayla by his side. No matter how much time passed since they became a “thing”, he still looked at her with absolute amazement and like she was the only person that existed in his sight. The thing is that it was kind of true; to Callum, Rayla was all he saw. And for Rayla, she never even thought of looking because no one could replace who he was to her; what they had built together. They both occupied a spot in each other’s spot that no one else could ever be seen taking. It didn’t matter if they weren’t from the same background at all. 

Rayla was seemingly firm in this but that stupid, stupid seed in her head had laid some tiny roots in even that foundation. As they both walked together arms swinging, her eyes wandered around to other human couples and how easy they had it. Her eyes would then linger on the women and how beautifully elegant they looked… They were human of course so their features and physique displayed that, but there was a bit of envy in how diverse they could look. They had much more softer features naturally and their femininity was emphasized with they way they adorned themselves. Colorful dresses, ribbons, jewelry, etc. were used and only served to make them more beautiful to the eyes around them. 

When Rayla looked at herself after admiring them, she couldn’t help but seem so plain and unfeminine in comparison. Her clothing was always darker in color and she didn’t wear frills or jewels that would just get in the way of her blades. Her look never varied too much and was always practical in nature, designed to be able to move; very different from other girls who didn’t carry around double blades with them. Any of these beautiful women would make such perfect princesses. Why did Callum choose her? Her face had dropped as all the self-destructive thoughts slowly raced in her head. 

Callum had noticed that Rayla had suddenly become less talkative. Her grip on his hand was limp and when he turned to look at her, her face was clouded and down cast for some reason. He stopped walking and tugged her hand a little when she kept on walking, not noticing he had stopped. She looked up surprised at him. 

“Hey, are you alright?” He asked her, cautiously. 

He knew she wasn’t the most open with her emotions naturally and didn’t want to press onto her if she didn’t want to talk about them at the moment. 

She looked away from him, “N-No, I’m alright Callum.” 

He raised an eyebrow clearly not buying it. 

She sighed, “I’m just a wee tired and beat up from trainings lately with the others. We also have that fancy party later for the festival and I want to make sure I look decent...” She said, only dipping into some of her much deeper thoughts. 

That evening would be a large ball/party that Ezran was throwing to invite friends, dignitaries, and such to celebrate their newfound peace. Of course he had insisted that Rayla and Callum attend and even mentioned that he wanted to honor them for their part in rebuilding relations with the human kingdoms and Xadia. Both of them had been embarrassed at the idea of so many eyes on them and had tried to talk him out of it, but there was no budging him; even Bait nodded in agreement with the young king. 

Callum smiled lightly at her concerns and felt that there was more to the issue, but he would respect her boundaries and wouldn’t press too much into things especially out in public. 

“Rayla, you’re going to look great. You wanna know why? Because you’re already the most beautiful woman in all of Xadia and Katolis combined no matter what you wear.” He said heartfelt with emotions to hopefully encourage her mood. 

She looked into his eyes and how they always shown with his emotions candidly and knew he meant what he said. She wanted to hit herself for being so dumb to consider anything else. Callum would never lie to her. Callum loved her. He loved Rayla as Rayla. 

She smiled back, “Thank you Callum.”  
-

She had raced through the stone walls as quickly as she could. She had torn the bottom of the simple dark green gown she had on earlier to move faster and reach her room where she would lock herself in and wallow in what had just happened. Callum would no doubt be knocking on her door frantically to reach her and get inside. She couldn’t see herself opening up that door anytime soon to anyone…

The evening had actually started out better than she had anticipated. After catching Rayla in a stump on what to wear, Opeli had actually swooped in with a gown she had custom made for the elf. The gown was absolutely beautiful, simple, and Rayla. The fabric was a deep green color that sparkled and faded from a lighter color green at the top when it caught the light. It’s color, she said, had been inspired by a combination of Rayla’s natural attire and Callum’s eyes, to which she blushed. The style was one shouldered and movable somehow! Rayla marveled at how well it suited her and how she could even wear her boots under it; it clung to her waist and flowed down lightly. Opeli had then taken great care to assist Rayla with her hair and pulled it into a soft updo under her horns that wasn’t too complex, but was still elegant. 

Looking at her reflection, Rayla was stunned. She never imagined herself looking anything like a princess, but in that moment she actually did. She looked delicate and still strong in her gown, hair, and even a thin choker and bracelet combo. Rayla’s eyes sparkled with a hint of powered color on her lids and cheeks that made their natural lavender stand out all the more. She had gasped at herself and Opeli had stood looking proud at her handiwork. 

“A beautiful look for an already beautiful girl.” She had said to her.   
-

Upon an announcement of each notable guest, Rayla herself was soon introduced to the crowd within the ballroom. Her nerves had nearly swallowed her, wondering what the eyes staring at her were thinking, until she caught eyes with Callum. He stood at the edge of the crowd, closest to the staircase they’d walk down. His eyes were wide with wonder at her. He already thought Rayla was beautiful, but she was absolutely stunning; magical. She looked like a fairytale elven princess from a storybook. 

“Don’t laugh, Opeli helped me.” Rayla said as she reached him, taking great care to not trip on her dress. 

He held out his hand for her to take and she slipped her hand into his timidly. He leaned down and kissed her small hand in front for all to see. The action partially stunned Rayla herself who stood there as he leaned back up straight.

“Rayla, you are amazing.” He said, still holding her hand in his and stroking the top of it with his fingers. 

No one in the room or world existed but them.   
-

They spent the evening laughing and even dancing quite a bit together, wrapped in each other’s sight and never straying too far, the two were a sight to see. King Ezran couldn’t help but smile sweetly whenever he caught sight of them and it warmed his heart to see them so carefree and happy together; he thought they deserved it. Callum and Rayla had been approached by some curious parties and friends as well. Overall, it was a wonderful time getting to reunite with allies and friends alike and just enjoy being in love and young. There was peace now and they could enjoy it as it existed and just be together. 

“I’ll be right back Rayla, I’m going to check on Ezran alright? Try not to cause too much trouble while I’m gone.” Callum had said teasingly. 

Rayla laughed, “Oh I’d never want to do anything to embarrass you your highness.”

He groaned, “You know I hate people saying that.”

“That’s exactly why I said it. Now go, I’ll go grab something to drink.” She assured him with a peck on the cheek that left a goofy grin on his face.

She made her way through the crowds to the beverage area where some guests were mingling and others were glancing around, people watching, when she first tuned into the comments being made. 

“I cannot believe how the nobelity in Katolis has fallen… To be prancing about with an elf?!” 

“Who does she think she is, walking around here like she’s royalty? She could never be.”

“I’m embarrassed for her. The poor thing tried to look presentable for once. What a pitiful effort.”

“The dress suits her: it’s plain like she is.”

“Who tried to make her God awful hair look regal? She should just have stayed locked away.” 

“I bet you she’s made her way in the young prince’s bed. Elves are known to be wild right? I’m sure he’ll get his youthful whims out of the way and then settle with someone serious and actually human. I mean goodness could you imagine the children?!” 

Rayla had never been more embarrassed and insulted in her life. These nameless faces around her were judging her, without even knowing her. They were making assumptions and critiquing her cruelly. Anger was the first emotion that registered in her mind, indignation to their comments, but soon after embarrassment seeped in, and finally those darker thoughts and emotions she had been trying desperately to ignore. 

Callum had walked back, still laughing at something when he noticed the look of utter pain on Rayla’s face. 

“Rayla?” He asked, moving to touch her arm and even move her out of the room if something was wrong. 

But before his fingertips could make contact with her at all, Rayla had activated her Moonshadow abilities fueled by the full moon outside and dashed out of the room.   
-

Rayla slammed the door to her room and slowly sunk down from the door to the floor. Hugging her knees to her chest, she began to let herself cry. Deep sobs came from her as she clung to herself with a near painful grip. She felt so, so stupid for letting their comments get to her. She didn’t even know those people! Why would their words hurt her so much? Yet deep down inside, she knew why… They had picked at an area she was beginning to hurt in and self-question. Of course they had no way of knowing that, but their words were still daggers tearing in deeper. The small bruises and scrapes had merged into full-fledged wounds over time and led her to where she was now: an emotional wreck on her floor. 

Why? Why was she struggling with this so much? Why did it matter what she looked like? Why did it matter what others said? But why couldn’t she look a bit more “normal” though? Why couldn’t she have more “normal” and appealing features? Was she really embarrassing Callum and his family that badly? Would anyone ever look at her with acceptance by Callum’s side? Would she have to keep dealing with these comments and glares all her life? 

Rayla had her hands scrunched in her hair, her updo had fallen out of its style and no doubt looked as terrible as Rayla felt. She momentarily wiped her eyes and saw her reflection from across the room. She looked like a huddled mess of tears and hair and ripped dress fabric. Anger filled her veins yet again at the sight. 

“This is all your fault! You stupid piece of glass! You put these dumb thoughts in ma head!” She said and took one of her boots off and nailed it at the mirror. It cracked and slowly broke apart at the force, pieces of it falling to the stone floor with clanging noises. The outburst made her feel partially better to have gotten rid of some anger, but she was still upset at the fact that she was worrying about her hair, her makeup, her outfit, etc. even in that moment and in another impulsive move, Rayla crawled across the floor and grabbed one of the glass pieces. 

Standing up firmly, she grabbed a chunk of her hair and slashed the mirror piece through it.   
-

“Rayla! Rayla please open up! Please let me in! Look, I don’t know what happened but I want to be there for you. Please Rayla!” Callum said desperately as he pounded on the thick wooden door between them. 

Somewhere inside he knew Rayla was hauled up and unanswering. He had gone after her as quickly as he could have, all the while wondering what had sent her into such an outburst. He hadn’t left her alone for too long had he? Had someone said something to her? He couldn’t help but feel terribly guilty if he had somehow caused her pain. He just wanted to be in there with her, even if he couldn’t make it better. 

Suddenly he heard movement from inside the room and he lightened up with the hope that Rayla perhaps had heard him. Just as he stepped back, the door opened. 

Illuminated with only the glow of the full moon through the window stood Rayla at the door. Her dress was torn, her boots off, and most notably… her hair was chopped short messily. It was cut with bits that stood out in some places. Her face was down, looking at the floor, but he could see that she had been crying heavily by the redness of her face. 

He stood stunned, unable to form words. 

“I know… I look terrible…” She said, still refusing to look at him. 

Callum without any words in the moment, lunged forward and wrapped his arms around her. At his tender, yet firm embrace Rayla came undone again. The tears came and wouldn’t stop as Callum had to support her weight to keep her standing. His heart clenched painfully to hear her in so much pain. 

“Please Rayla, tell me what’s happening.” He said, desperate to reach her. 

She finally looked up at his eyes and nodded her head. She’d tell him.   
-

“There you go, you look rather lovely!” 

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes to stare into another mirror. Rayla’s fingers came up to touch the neatly trimmed hair on her head. The cut was nearly a bob look, that fell around her chin, as Rayla’s earlier chop had been done so roughly out of anger that it had to be fixed. Opeli stepped in eagerly again to help when requested and had nearly tripped at the sight of the young woman’s white locks gone. 

“I-I kinda look like my mum.” She said. 

In truth, she actually did. With few memories of her parents, she could still vaguely recall what they looked like. Her mother had been a strong woman whose hair was always cropped short for battle; Rayla looked like the spitting image of her now though she wouldn’t wander on that too long. 

Rayla examined her hair and then her eyes, nose, mouth, markings, and shape. 

“You, Rayla, are the most beautiful, amazing soul that exists in the world you hear me? I won’t have you thinking these lies about yourself anymore. That’s what they are: lies that want to take away your spirit and make you doubt who you really are. Rayla, have you really looked at yourself lately? And I don’t mean what you’re wearing or what your hair looks like or anything superficial like that, but really looked and seen yourself? Because if you’d really, really look you’d seen the absolutely incredible person I see. The person you really are. You’d see your heart which is the most “beautiful” thing about you. The heart that no one in this world can compare to and the heart I love. But you need to believe and see that for yourself Rayla. You need to love and see yourself. Just take it day by day though and I’ll be here every single day to remind you if I have ” Callum had said to her, holding her tightly in her room throughout the night until she fell asleep in her safe embrace.

She could soon feel Callum’s hands on her shoulders and then feel his fingers playing with her new hair. He had a smile on his face that shone with adoration as his pale fingers weaved in with her snowy strands. She kept replaying his tender care of her all night long and encouragements. He took every emotion, thought, and tear she shared with a strength she had been surprised herself to see. He was adamant and firm in his words and beliefs and worked to address every self-conscious rambling as it came. He reassured her that he didn’t mind it and that he’d stay with her forever reminding her of who she was. It had broken through her cracked interior and began to mend the pieces that existed. 

He reaffirmed to her that she needed to believe for herself and love for herself who she was. Callum could only do so much, but she had to live with herself. She had to come to a place of acceptance and appreciation for who she was; there was no one else like her in the world and there would never be. She found herself beginning to repeat the words in her mind even now and tucking them into her heart little by little. Come morning, she was feeling considerably better than the night before and was ready to face a mirror again, if at least to fix her messy hair. 

One day at a time, one step at a time, she would take it with herself and Callum by her side. 

She lightly smiled and saw how her entire face lit up with it’s unique features and traits that could only belong to her. 

“You know what, I think I could get used to this actually.”


	5. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm backkkkkk! Sorry for the brief break friends! Here's a short, fluffy one in the meantime. Can't wait to write more! Apologies for any spell errors as well. I was honestly just excited to share with you guys again. <3

Rayla had faced danger before; she had faced angry dragons, dark mages, thieves, monster animals, and beyond. Yet now, standing in front of a door that led to her home, she couldn’t recall a more terrifying moment. 

-  
Becoming a “thing” with Callum really didn’t take that much thought or preparation. It was something that just happened in the midst of their journey and while there had to have been some concerns on how things would work out, neither of them let any fears stop them. Now, post battle, peace was settling and things were finding a new normal. With this settling came a daunting realization to Rayla: she could maybe go home and be accepted back in with her people again. 

News spread of the battle that had played out with elves and humans, battling side by side to defend the Dragon Prince and Queen and defeat a dark magic army. It seemed ridiculous and even impossible to consider, but those that were there for themselves testified what they had witnessed. Specific names stood out in the retellings and Rayla’s name was among them. This gave her hope that once word got to her village, she would no longer be banished and they’d at least allow her to explain herself now. She held hope out. 

She wanted to show Callum where she was born and raised for real and introduce him to those she knew. She also desperately wanted to be with Ethari now that Runaan was… gone just like her parents. Rayla knew that it would not be an easy thing to bring a human into elf territory, but she was headstrong and determined. She would protect Callum and nothing would stop them. 

A romantic union of any kind between Elf and Human wasn’t going to be too welcomed, but she could only hope that those closest to her would understand. For them to understand however, she’d have to tell them to begin with. 

Rayla winced at her mind’s scenarios of how that could possibly go. Her feet hung from the side of the Storm Spire’s edge as clouds passed underneath her. Romance could be so complicated already, much more so in her position. Rayla was so in her thoughts that she didn’t even notice footsteps coming toward. 

“Enjoying the view?” Callum said, settling down beside her. 

“Sorta. Just doing some thinkin’ is all.” She said back to him. 

Callum leaned into her side a little, “Penny for your thoughts?” 

She looked at him. She loved catching his strong gaze on her. The color of his eyes was something she’d never forget as she had admired them for quite some time now. 

“I’m just wonderin’ what the others will say when they find out about...us.” She said. 

Callum tilted his head back. He would be lying if he said he hadn’t been thinking about that too. From the Dragon Queen to Ethari and beyond, Callum had indeed wondered how people would react to them and how they would present it. It partially irritated him that he had to worry about it, but it was more than worth it. 

“They won’t chase me away from the village with pitchforks right?” He said half joking, half not. 

Rayla giggled, “No you dummy… They’d definitely be using swords or arrows.” 

Callum froze for a second at Rayla’s words and only relaxed a bit when she began to laugh. 

“That was only half a joke right?” He asked for clarity. 

“Yup.”   
-

Arriving back to her village Rayla’s nerves began to amplify. She could feel herself begin to tremble a little as she played with her clasped hands. Her people were seeing her for the first time in quite a while. Things had changed and her status was no longer the same, but was she ready to be let in again? 

A larger hand grasped onto her’s. She could feel his strong, yet worried gaze on her as she looked downward. 

“Rayla, it’s going to be okay. You aren’t alone.” Callum reassured her as he stepped closer to her. 

Moving his hand to grasp her chin, Rayla’s face was lifted gently up to meet Callum’s. She took in every detail of his face as she felt her eyes shifting and observing. It was still difficult for her to fully express her feelings and some were harder to express than others, but Callum never failed to understand this. He had become quite good at realizing when to press forward a bit more or when to give her space. She had no idea how she’d be doing this without him. 

She squeezed his forearms, “I know.”

As soon as they began to step foot into the forested center, eyes widened and chatter began. The other Moonshadow elves eyed them with disbelief, suspicion, and even alarm. Rayla walked as confidently as she could with all these eyes watching them, but with Callum’s hand tightly in her’s she knew she could do it. There was no denying they could now see her and as they began to realize who she brought with her, there was no doubt they were hesitating perhaps to attack. She knew that no humans had ever stepped foot in her home or even near it and her she was bringing one willingly in. She kept her gaze forward and kept walking until she reached the home she had grown up in. 

They paused at the door, feeling behind them eyes that had likely followed. Rayla looked at the opening for minutes it seemed. Callum kept eyeing her and the door, but when he felt a tremble in her hand he immediately focused solely on her. 

“Do we need a big feelings time?” He said softly as he observed her for a reaction. 

Rayla looked into Callum’s eyes. Big feelings… Oh boy did she have a lot of them at the moment. 

“I-I just… I just don’t know what I’m going to say to him. We won a war, but Runaan is still lost Callum… I can’t bring him back. I feel selfish in a way… to be coming back now that all is done… Runaan couldn’t come back and now here I am and with someone I care deeply about and didn’t lose while Ethari did...” She spoke in hushed tones, emotions deeply embedded in her words. 

Callum had a feeling she had begun to feel some guilt. After the battle and celebrations, he had noticed her mind doze off to some far off thought. He could tell by the way her face and posture changed that she was deep in thought about her family and what was left of it. While they had won, it hadn’t erased the loses. Callum knew how she felt… His mother was not coming back, King Harrow wasn’t coming back, and neither was Zym’s father. All of them were losses in a bitter war that had come to an end before they could see it. While he hadn’t known Runaan really, he knew that to Rayla he was family. Now she was coming home and part of her home wouldn’t be there. What’s more, Rayla had found and kept a love and Ethari had not been so lucky… 

“Rayla, I can’t pretend to fully understand what you’re going through right now even if I kinda get it. You’re right, those we lost don’t get to come back and celebrate or see us happy… But, I really do think that they’d want us to live. I don’t think they’d want us to live with guilt and if Ethari is just like you said he is then I know he wouldn’t want you to feel that way either.” Callum spoke tilting his head towards the door. 

“What’s more Rayla no matter what others may think of us and what we have, I know how I feel about you. I know that I love you and that you are strong enough to handle this, but I’ll stay by your side to remind you if you need it.” He finished with a strong squeeze of her hand. 

Rayla’s eyes were wide as she processed his words. Callum was so candid about his feelings. While she had indeed faced guilt and fear walking up the steps to the home, she could feel those emotions bundling down and her adoration for the human prince in front of her grow yet again. Callum, her goofy, mage, human prince, loved her. He had walked through her village with confidence and strength while he too was being eyed and talked about. Callum had also lost from this war and yet he smiled. He smiled and reminded Rayla that it was alright to be happy even after all that they had gone through. Callum reminded her to live truly. Right now, life was presenting her a chance to start again with what was left of her family and people. 

With a look of determination on her face Rayla nodded her head. She reached her hand up to knock on the door, but before she hit it she turned to Callum and gave him a strong kiss, not caring at all who was around to see. Callum had that goofy far off look on his face when she pulled back and she couldn’t help but laugh even as gasps rang off behind them. Let them look, they better get used to it because they’d see more of that coming she thought. 

With two strong knocks to the door, Callum and Rayla stood patiently waiting. And with a slight shuffle, the door opened to Ethari standing tall in its place. 

Rayla felt her heart drop in anticipation as Ethari’s eyes took in the sight of the both of them. 

“R-Rayla?” He asked in disbelief. 

“I’m home Ethari.” She said firmly. 

He stared at the both of them for a moment more before rushing forward and embracing Rayla tightly. Rayla froze, unsure what to do. 

“I wasn’t sure I’d see you again…” He said eyes closed. 

Callum stood awkwardly to the side, giving them space. He couldn’t help but smile however as he watched on. He had a feeling Ethari would welcome Rayla back warmly. 

“I’m here now. The Dragon prince is with his mother. The Dragon Queen is awake and the war is over. I’m here… I’m home.” Rayla said, tears beginning to pool in her eyes with the weight of her words rushing over her. 

Ethari stepped back to look at her over and hug her again. He noticed the human prince still with her and fully stepped backwards to look at them both. Rayla’s face read relief, happy tears, and love. Callum’s read adoration, equal relief, and also love. Ethari knew that look well enough to understand without words what had grown between the two young ones in front of him. Looking between the two he smiled. Rayla had always been different and special this he knew. Now she was growing up and falling in love even if wasn’t exactly what he had envisioned truthfully. But looking at the unspoken feeling in the air as the prince wiped Rayla’s tears gently, he could easily get over that. No words needed to be said...

“Yes, I see that you are home.” He said placing a hand on her shoulder and the prince’s with a warm smile.


End file.
